University of Arizona head men’s golf coach Jim Anderson announced the hiring of former UA standout Chris Nallen as assistant coach on Wednesday.

“Chris is a very accomplished golfer on all levels, and he’ll bring a very valuable skill set to our program,” Anderson said. “He’ll have instant credibility with the current and future members of our team. In addition to his golf résumé, Chris is also a member of the UA family, which makes this a perfect fit.”

A four-time All-American at Arizona from 2001-04, Nallen helped lead the Wildcats to three top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by third-place showings in both 2001 and 2004. He was also named a Freshman All-American by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in 2001.

Nallen won six individual medals during his collegiate career, claiming first-team All-Pac-10 honors in each of his final three seasons at UA. Nallen was selected to represent the United States on the Walker Cup team in 2003 and at the Palmer Cup in both 2003 and 2004.

“I’m really excited to be joining the Arizona men’s golf staff,” Nallen said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to see the game of golf from a different side, while at the same time helping the team prepare to compete at a high level. I’m looking forward to working with Jim and getting to know the staff and players. I want to figure out how to work with each guy to help make him better and use my experience to help impart the approach and preparation needed to play at a high level.”

The Queens, N.Y., native was a semifinalist at the 2004 U.S. Amateur, after which he joined the professional ranks. He won the 2004 Gila River Classic in his first Nationwide Tour start, becoming the first player in tour history to win his first-career start in wire-to-wire fashion after qualifying on Monday. Upon entering the coaching ranks, Nallen ranks 82nd all-time on the Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Tour) in career earnings.

“Chris is a true professional about his craft,” Anderson said. “He’s detail-oriented in his approach, and that has made him a success. I know he’s going to approach coaching in the same manner. We talk to our team about having the best attitude, being the hardest working and being the most professional, and Chris fits that mold.”

Nallen graduated from UA in 2004 with a degree in economics.

For more information on the Arizona men’s golf program, visit arizonawildcats.com and follow @UAWildcatsGolf on Twitter.